Cambodian diaries

We made it to Cambodia. After an intensive 2 week camp at the JETI (Jeollanamdo Education Training Institute), where I was hanging out with 7 other Native Speaker Instructors and 32 Korean English teachers, I had one day to find sitters for all three cats and to get our things together to get to Cambodia.
Bryce and I are finally on vacation. I was hesitating to come to South East Asia, simply because nothing could ever match up to my year in Thailand so long ago (was that really NINE years ago?? dear jesus)- I knew that I didn't want to actually go back to Thailand until I had some significant time to spend tracking down my old host family in the mountains and some of my old friends who have finished all of their respective degrees at Chiang Mai University and are working all over Thailand. So, we thought Cambodia may be different from this.

And it is. It has been really amazing. We are volunteering with University age students (some in Uni, some not), who study English from a Korean missionary education centre. I've never really been involved with a Christian NGO, and I suppose I'm still not really, but my co-teacher in Korea helped to set up this place a few years ago, and helped me to get set up with them. Thank you Kim Hyun. Bryce and I have been working with them since Monday and its been a blast. We teach from 9:30-10:30 every morning teaching the Bible studies class some conversational English. These guys all live at the dorm at the centre. Most are from 'the Provinces' and have moved to Phnom Penh for some opportunity. They spend most of their time at the center, volunteering or studying. They've been really welcoming to us.

In the afternoon we return at 2:30, after doing some Phnom Penh sightseeing, and teach more classes until 5. The classes are mainly conversational and cross-cultural. For example (for all of you pedagogy geeks out there), on Tuesday we taught a couple of Canadian songs, including the "Log Drivers Waltz", but we couldn't show the video since there is not internet or computer, or tv there. The following day we did a "Cambodia " lesson, whereby they presented aspects of Cambodiana culture . We've been throwing all sorts of other fun and enticing things in as well. WEll, at least enticing for us.
Apart from volunteering, its been quite horrifying to learn first hand about Cambodia's history. We went to the Tuol Sleng museum yesterday, which used to be a high school until it was revamped as torture center for the Pol Pot regime. It was sombre and the air was heavy. I had a strong dejavu to 15 years ago when I visited Auschwitz with my school from Germany. Terrible terrible crimes paid to children, mothers, young men and men and grandmothers alike. As we left there were landmine aputees everywhere asking for some cash. A strong legacy to mines planted by the US military and the Khmer Rouge 25 years ago. Never removed except by civilians walking their fields years after the regime. Cambodia has one of the worst unexploded landmine problems in the world. This restricts land that would otherwise be used for agriculture or for building in such an impoverished country.

There have also been some really fun and interesting moments everyday. Our first day in town we went to Wat Phnom (a temple on a small hill in town), on the beginning of our walking tour. While talking to Mike, our newly discovered friend, I was very startled to find a monkey clawing desperately at my pants (which I had just sewn the day before!!)- she was screaming at me for the banana in my hand ( I mean really! How cliche!). I gave it to her, because as I looked around there were dozens of monkeys suddenly around us- in the trees, on the ground, everwhere- and I felt a little outnumbered. Even though it was a much-trafficked park, there seemed to be no management to these little wild guys. So, well, I gave in.

Everyday we are experiencing so much- just went on a dodgy ferris wheel in an amusement park that was built in apparently 20 days, while looking down at some young guys in muscle tees and belted tight jeans working out in a gym and rehearsing dance moves in front of a large mirror. I dont think I'm explaining just how bizarre it was- imagine watching Grease from 50 ft in the air with "happy birthday' playing in the background and everyone staring at YOU instead of the main attraction. Or something. I think I need some sleep.

I hope everyone is well- I'm a bit tired. The weather is breezy and warm- the perfect vacation.
More coming soon.
'aw kohn'
bye